Web-connected objects are the new hip thing these days. Whether you’re talking about watches, fridges, glasses, or even a collar to locate your cat, it can sometimes seem a little ridiculous, according to this site. But above and beyond the simple trend, a Montreal company thinks it’s tapping into something that should be taken very seriously. Hexoskin has developed and launched a connected shirt that allows you to get biometric feedback in real-time.

According to president Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, who’s been developing this technology since 2006, well before Nike and other companies got onboard, it’s no game. “The precision of the sensors allows our shirt to paint an accurate picture of what’s going on in your body in a totally unobtrusive way. In the near future, this technology will be helpful in preventative medicine,” he explains before lifting up his shirt to reveal the Hexoskin shirt underneath.

“Take, for example, a car with dozens of sensors. It tells you when to change the oil and when the engine is overheating. It allows you to go to the garage well before the car is no longer functional. Why would one wait until the body’s broken before going to a doctor?” Good point.

The young company has hired programmers who have set up algorithms and software that allow for the processing of data in real-time that will then show up in a mobile application or on web dashboard.

“We’re also preparing an expedition of four people to the Antarctic to test our new generation of shirt,” he says just before asking not to take too many photos of his lab. It’s not difficult to see that the industrial secrets here are priceless. “We’re also planning a tip to the International Space Station for 2016.” The sky’s the limit.

It’s good to dream of the future, but right now Hexoskin is already helping sports trainers stay connected with their athletes over thousands of kilometres, thereby reduce travelling costs. “Rather than doing tests in artificial environments like a gym or lab, athletes can now train where they like and let the technology do the rest.”

Details on how to purchase the shirt can be found on the Hexoskin website. To infinity and beyond!